Category Minority Veterans
Landmark riot launches LGBTQ movement. Fifty years of activism leads to LGBTQ Veterans Inclusion Forum.
June 28 marks the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in New York. For six days in 1969, LGBTQ individuals who frequented the Stonewall Inn, a gay and lesbian bar in Manhattan’s West Village, rebelled against the harassment by the New York police who kept raiding it. They resisted, long before “resist” became a political […]
CalVet co-sponsoring Tribal Veteran Advocate training in Coarsegold
Nearly half of the American Indian and Alaska Native tribal leaders, have served in the American military. With 109 federally recognized tribes, California is home to a large number of Native American veterans; but they are dramatically underserved as a population. “Upon their return from duty, they aren’t likely to seek out assistance or benefits,” […]
CalVet assists veterans with a pathway to citizenship
Last March, CalVet’s Minority and Underrepresented Veterans Division launched the Pathway to Citizenship program. Since that time, CalVet, along with other state agencies and community support, has been able to assist more than 60 veterans and their families with citizenship and naturalization services they have earned through their military service. “California was the first state […]
Recognizing the contributions of African American Women Veterans
Women have long answered the call to defend and protect this country, yet many of their contributions have largely been unrecognized and unrewarded. During the national designation of the month of February as Black History Month, the CalVet Women Veterans Division is sending a special message to recognize and elevate the invaluable contributions of black […]
CalVet hosts Tribal Veteran Representative Training Jan. 23-24 in San Diego
California is home to more American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) veterans than nearly any other state in the nation. Yet this population remains one of the most underserved. CalVet is partnering with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the County of San Diego to host a two-day advocacy training on veteran benefits and services […]
Native American veterans celebrate history and heritage today in Sacramento
Hundreds of Native American Indian tribes converged on the State Capitol Friday morning to participate in the 51st annual Native American Day in Sacramento. The event, which honored our state’s Native American culture and emphasized the importance of partnerships between tribal leaders and state governments, included family-friendly cultural and traditional activities, informational workshops, traditional performers, […]
Check out this year’s Native American Day commemorative pins
This year, on September 28, as Sacramento celebrates Native American Day, CalVet will distribute commemorative pins memorializing the service of exemplary Native American veterans. Led by the work of our Minority Veteran Affairs Division, CalVet designed these pins as a show of gratitude for all Native American veterans that call California home. The pin represents […]
California’s Native American Day to be celebrated at the Capitol this month
On Friday, September 28, California will honor the service and sacrifice of all its Native American veterans with the 51st annual Native American Day ceremony. The event begins at 9 a.m. on the west steps of the State Capitol building and includes music, festivities, vendors and special addresses from California State Superintendent of Public Instruction […]
Elizabeth Perez increasing outreach to underrepresented veterans
Elizabeth Perez joined CalVet in January, taking the helm of our Minority and Underrepresented Veterans Division. We recently asked her about her new role. What are your top priorities? One of my immediate priorities was to help immigrant veterans become naturalized citizens. For decades, immigrants have served in the U.S. military. My father was one […]
CalVet to Hold Claims Workshops for Native American and Rural Veterans
Next week, CalVet will hold the first of several specialized workshops designed to assist Native American and rural veterans with applying for local, state, and federal benefits. Native American and rural veterans often face challenges in accessing the benefits they have earned through their service. Last year, CalVet Secretary Dr. Vito Imbasciani visited Native American […]
